[Colleen Lambert]

I have a 1989 Integra LS with a blown head gasket due to overheating issue, so the mechanic says. He has sent it out for whatever has to be done to repair the car. BUT, can someone here with proper knowledge about such things, please tell me what *else* may need to be done at the same time so that this is not a repeat performance sometime in the near future? Do the valves have to be reground, or anything similar? This is my first Acura and I was really looking forward to a trouble-free summer of driving, but instead, I traded my 89 Ford Probe Turbo to the mechanic for just another set of problems, it seems. I need another voice, another opinion. Helllllpppp please! Thank you.

 

[Hondacuraplanet]

With a 24 year old car, anything can happen. You have to remember that unless the car was either stored or cared for meticulously, you are either at, or past, the lifespan of about 75% of the moving parts on the vehicle. One of my cars is a 1985 Chevy van that I've had for almost 10 years. This year alone I've replaced the battery, fuel pump, exhaust from the engine back, two tires, wheel bearings, and now it needs lower control arm bushings. And I barely drive it.

If that car's been a daily driver, expect the same. I had an '88 Integra LS Special. LOVED the car. Would love another. Unfortunately, though, you can't own a car this old without expecting things to break. Points of interest include the radiator, torsion bars, stabilizer links, exhaust, and distributor. It's been a while since we've seen first-gen Integras on a regular basis, but pulling from memory those are the things that we saw as the car aged.